Phalaenopsis maculata

Phalaenopsis maculata is native to Borneo and Suluwesi where it grows in warm forests from 200 to 1000m on limestone. We have explored this habitat in Sarawak and noted several key factors useful in providing for effective cultivation.

This habitat is warm with day temperatures in the low 30s and nith temperatures in the 20s and so we grow Phalaenopsis maculata indoors in our IKEA cabinets with our thermostat set to 17C so that plants never experence low temperatures. Rain in the habitat is frequent with daily thunderstorms through most of the year. Despite the frequent heavy rain epiphytes are never soggy and the sun soon dries the forest again after rains.

We water out Phalaenopsis maculata every other day and grow it in chunky pine bark so that our plants have regular access to water but always have lots of air to their roots.

Whenever possibe we use rain water as our tap water is high in disolved salts and we provide weak feed throughout the year as plants continue to grow through the winter under their grow lights.